, 1887-05-21
REUNITED.

shattered islands till 1t reached the
broader expanse beyond. On one of these
islands, n hardly more than n stones
throw from the river, stood an old square
house.
On this sultry August afternoon as the
day wore on the sky darkened, distant
thurdrrs sounded warningly now and then,
till with the twilight the breeze, grown to
q sudden gale, dashed the large rain drops
against the windows of the old house
which Mrs. NARROW was hurrying about
to close.
"well, I declare, father" she said,
coming Town stairs quito out of breath,
chow 1t does raini who'd thought it Wien
twas 30 pleasant this afternoonP
Capt. NARROW rubbed the bald spot on
his head refiecttvely as he returned,
''Does pour, that's a fact
A little later a binding fash, accom-
panied by a crash of thunder heavier than
any preceding, caused Mrs. NARROW to
start VI from her chair.
"Niercyi" she exclaimed, az pity any
poor creature that has TO be out In this"
The storm continued with little abate-
ment. Just as one peal of thunder died
away an indistinct sound reached the ears
Of the two people In the long kitchen.
They regarded each other q~uestioningly
for q moment; then there was a rattle OF
viz oCOA AhN%aH ScAAAS Oao OeNoANS Ia
cropping for 1t In the darkness.
The man started up, nnd going to the
door threw 1t wild open to the storm, but
he stepped back as he did so, for there on
the door stone stood n figure strange to
him. The next moment his hospitality
overcame every other feeling, and each
ing out he said, "Whoever ye are, come
M
Mrs. NARROW was by his side n gaz-
tnn In nP,ounnnnnf nf tho alfrhf Uhtfa
robed figure. 1t was a young girl they
had never seen before. There was a fright
ened, appealing look In the brown eyes.
The wind and rain had beaten upon her
head till the dark, curling hair was
drenched and clinging about her neck.
Mr.. Marlow's motherly arms stretched
out instinctively. "Poor child" she said,
drawing her into the room; why, father,
she is wet through and through"
1t was quite true. The water dripped
from the dainty white dress and made lit
tie pools upon the floor. She wore no
wrap Of any kind. AS yet she had not
spoken, but stood looking wonderingly
about the room.
Where did you come from Arc you
alonei" Mrs. NARROW asked, and the girl
answered with a shudder, Eyes, I'm
alone"
''Dear, dear, poor child Let me get
you something WuTm.
Capt. NARROW set about making a fire
in the cook stove, while his wife took the
stranger into the little bedroom. YOU'RE
all beat out" The good woman said pity
ingly. YOU'D better go right to bed"
The girl made M remonstrance, but sub
mitted quite passively to whatever was
proposed. She took tho warm drink Mrs.
NARROW brought her, and when the wo-
man wen back to the kitchen she said:
81 declare, father, the poor thing Is COM
pletely beat out; she's asleep already"
Anxious Days followed, while the
stranger tossed In the delirium of fever,
and Mrs. NARROW cared for her as tender
ly as If she had been her own. Poor
child" she said, tears coming into her
eyes as she spoke, at makes my heart
ache TO think she Is away from all she
loves"
There was no clew to the girls former
Life, no one on the islarii knew anything
about her, and all inquiries otherwhere
brought no knowledge. Mrs. NARROW
searched the girls clothing, but only one
word was found, and one day she slipped
a ring of from the wasted hand and looked
for some inscription; there was only the
word she had found before, the name
Kathleen.
The sufferer spoke often, but though
Mrs. NARROW struve to catch any words
that might lead to the. discovery OF who
she was there was but little that was in
telligible. Z~ -L-
Sometimes she seemed to be wandering
through some wood, and said that the
pine needles made q soft carpet; Mt others
she faucied herself on the water, and said
she was so tired rowing against the stream.
Once or twice she spoke the name Of
Everett, but that was all.
Poor childI' sighed the good woman.
when she gets well she viii tell us, and
we will take her home.h
But there were days when it seemed
that there was little reason to expect
her recovery, yet the crisis passed and she
still lived. Very white and weak she
was, her brown eyes looking unnaturally
large, hen a faint color came Into the
face that grew rounded every day. Mrs.
NARROW forbore asking any questions as
yet, though she wondered n little that
Kathleen asked her none, but she was
growing stronger; she would speak by
and by.
Yes, she was growing stronger. Still
the doctor looked grave and continued his
visits after she was able to walk about.
But as time went on there was no
change. SHE answered to the name Of
Kathleen and called Capt. and Mrs.
NARROW father and mother, as she heard
them call each other. She seemed quite
happy roaming about the island, only
when any mention was made of going on
the water n troubled look came into her
face. "No," she always said, 81 would
rather not" SO they did not urge her.
She was hardly 20, Mrs. MARROW thought,
of n slight, little figure and as carelessly
graceful as a child. Her complexion was
of n creamy, almost transparent white
ness, the crimson showing only in her
cheeks and lips.
The fall, winter and early spring passed
uncventfrlly away; then there came a
time wheit the old house was in an un-
usual state of commotion and expectancy.
Capt. Marlow's son Robert was coming
home. He would be here soon now; he
had been in South America, and 1t was
more than a year ago that he had gone
away. Mrs. NARROW speculated us to
how his coming would affect Kathleen,
who seemed as joyfully eager to prepare
Tor him as size did herself. But when he
came the broad shouldered captain Of the
i~IighhyeI WIS far more affected than was
kathleen